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Central Valley board adopted cease‑and‑desist order for City of Arvin after pond seepage, restricted new sewer connections
Summary
The Central Valley Regional Water Board adopted a 2023 cease‑and‑desist order for the City of Arvin after inspections documented pond seepage, unauthorized land application and emergency discharges that posed water‑quality and public‑access risks.
The Central Valley Regional Water Board adopted a contested cease‑and‑desist order (CDO) in 2023 against the City of Arvin after staff documented pond seepage, unauthorized land application and repeated emergency discharges that threatened public access and recreational areas.
Christina Shoop, assistant executive officer for the Central Valley Region, explained that Arvin self‑reported seepage problems in 2021 tied to Pond 3, which had been built largely above grade. Inspections showed continuing seepage, unauthorized land application at non‑authorized rates, and the city lacked sufficient storage and disposal capacity to manage its wastewater stream and make repairs. Staff concluded that restricting new wastewater connections was necessary to prevent further degradation while facility repairs and permit amendments proceeded.
The CDO as adopted prohibited future connections for development projects that did not have building permits before the order’s effective date but included exemptions for projects that addressed extreme public hardship or public health threats. The board also built a mechanism allowing the Executive Officer to grant additional, case‑by‑case exemptions if the city demonstrates progress toward corrective actions and that granting the exemption will not delay return to compliance.
Shoop and Office of Enforcement Director Yvonne West described the approach as injunctive rather than penalty‑oriented: the order imposed deadlines and allowed conditional exemptions to focus remediation and to help the city obtain technical support and funding. After adoption, regional staff continued monthly coordination with the city, and Arvin has since obtained several exemptions for proposed developments intended to improve housing and tax base; the city remains in the process of completing repairs and has hired outside counsel and contractors.
Speakers said the CDO functioned as a tool to prioritize technical assistance, to secure public investment, and to create an enforceable timeline while the long‑term solution continues to be implemented.
